In my dream of returning to the Tang Dynasty, I snatched Wu Zetian from my lap.

About an incense stick later.

Under the arrangement of Segawa, Li Yuanchang changed into a servant's clothes and, like a thief, traversed the entire Wushe through numerous narrow paths and checkpoints, even crossing a small lake on a raft.

He eventually arrived at a bamboo pavilion in the middle of a lake.

This place is extremely quiet, like a ghost town under the moonlight, with hardly any human presence.

When the raft arrived, only two samurai appeared to meet it.

Wow!

Doors made of bamboo, wood, and murals are pulled open from both sides.

There are three floors in total, each building upon the previous one, creating a sense of mystery and atmosphere.

Li Yuanchang glanced at Segawa.

"Your Highness, the master is waiting for you inside."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanchang said nothing more and strode inside.

His eyes were full of curiosity and questions, but not fear. Based on his years of experience in the imperial court, he believed that this trip would not be dangerous.

Entering through the three-tiered bamboo gate, the space suddenly opens up, a standard ancient Japanese pavilion, elegant and scholarly, exuding a cool and serene atmosphere, with a faint scent of feminine perfume in the air.

woman?

Li Yuanchang raised an eyebrow and looked around. The place was brightly lit, but there were no samurai statues or paintings, only some pictures of cherry blossom deities.

It's so colorful, it doesn't look like a place for men to live at all.

"I have arrived! Why don't you show yourself?" he shouted.

Footsteps then sounded.

Li Yuanchang quickly turned around, locked onto a bamboo door, and almost instantly determined that it was a person's footsteps, and a woman's.

A man's steps are heavy, so he can't walk with this kind of lightness.

"His Highness the Prince of Han is indeed a hero, worthy of being the brother of the Heavenly Khan. He went to the meeting alone, and Qiandao admires him greatly."

Wow!

As the bamboo door opened, a mature noblewoman dressed in a narrow-sleeved short-sleeved top and skirt appeared!

Her long, jet-black hair was tied back, a typical long, straight style, and a jade pendant around her neck was the perfect finishing touch.

Her features are extremely bright and charming, with a beauty mark at the corner of her eye, showcasing the allure of an island nation.

The red lips, snow-white cheeks, and jet-black hair create a striking color contrast, full of tension.

Her wooden clogs gave her a natural, Japanese-style walk, and even though she wore a long coat over her clothes, the professional Li Yuanchang could tell from her gait that this woman had an absolutely great figure!

Li Yuanchang was sizing her up.

The women, on the other hand, knelt down and performed a grand salute using the etiquette of an island nation.

"Tanaka Chishima pays his respects to His Highness the Prince of Han of the Great Tang Dynasty!"

"I have long inquired about Your Highness's name. Meeting you today, I can see that you are indeed extraordinary. Even dressed in the coarse clothes of a servant, your domineering presence is still undeniable."

Her Mandarin was clearly not very good, but strangely enough, it sounded incredibly pleasant, as if it made one's masculinity tremble.

This island nation definitely has something to say about it.

In their culture, women seem to be born with the ability to charm men.

"Who are you to the Ōtomo clan?" Li Yuanchang asked, unmoved by the beauty.

This woman's demeanor and manner are quite extraordinary; she's not a young girl, but rather a mature woman. One should be cautious when dealing with this kind of woman.

"Your Highness, the Second Prince is my uncle."

"My husband is Shijisaburo's half-brother."

Li Yuanchang raised an eyebrow and, following the direction of her finger, saw the memorial tablet behind the wooden door. He couldn't understand the Japanese characters, but it was clearly the husband of this beautiful island woman.

"Then why did you summon me here?"

"What kind of great danger is it?"

Tanaka Chishima smiled, raised his head, and slowly stood up by pushing off with his toes.

"Your Highness, this is a long story, and it's not a solution to just talk about it like this. Why don't you sit down first?" she invited.

Li Yuanchang took a deep breath and then sat cross-legged on the ground in front of a low table.

There was no one else there, so Tanaka Chishima knelt down and poured him a bowl of tea.

However, Li Yuanchang remained cautious and did not drink it.

"Your Highness, are you afraid that the Thousand Islands have poisoned it?"

Li Yuanchang glanced at her: "Madam, please get straight to the point."

Tanaka Chishima put down his cup and then said something startling: "Your Highness, you are in imminent danger, right here in Aoki Castle."

"Qingmu City?" Li Yuanchang squinted.

Chishima's red lips parted slightly, and she spoke with the hunched posture of a Japanese woman, only occasionally raising her head: "That's right, Your Highness, are you aware that Jisaburo is plotting against you?"

"When Your Highness leads your troops to attack Aoki City, they will betray you, exposing your whereabouts and plans, which will lead to Your Highness being surrounded and even killed."

Li Yuanchang was startled: "You know the secret between me and Cisaburo?"

"Chishima knows everything." Chishima smiled slightly, exuding a mature and charming aura.

Li Yuanchang remained calm, then leaned forward, staring intently at Qiandao.

"What's your reason for wanting to harm me, Jisaburo?"

"He has no reason to help Nakatomi."

Chishima said, "He really has no reason to help Nakatomi."

"But what would happen if they actually followed His Highness in sending troops to attack the Nakatomi clan? First, the Soga clan would become hostile, and then the Emperor would hold them accountable."

"Moreover, this matter involves working with the Tang Dynasty to fight against our own people."

"Jisaburo is a man of strategy but no courage. He simply doesn't have the guts to take over the entire southern region in one fell swoop."

"So he needs to use someone else to do the dirty work."

"And Your Highness is the best sword. If Your Highness dies in Qingmu City, given Your Highness's status, the Tang Dynasty will surely be furious and will most likely send troops to punish you."

"Even if it requires crossing oceans, the Tang Dynasty will definitely exert pressure to hand over the murderer."

"Then Jisaburo has achieved his goal against the Nakatomi clan. After the Tang Dynasty takes revenge, he can take over the Nakatomi clan's territory and population without lifting a finger."

"And he doesn't need to take any responsibility. The Tang Dynasty won't look for him, nor will the Emperor or the Soga clan."

Li Yuanchang's eyes grew colder and colder as he listened, even revealing a murderous intent.

Not long ago, he was wondering if Jisaburo was trying to reap the benefits without doing anything, but all he could think of was Jisaburo slacking off and taking advantage of the situation.

But unexpectedly, this guy actually wanted to betray him, make him go on the attack, and then betray him, causing his death and framing the Nakatomi clan.

But he didn't entirely believe her: "Why should I, the king, believe the one-sided story of a woman who suddenly appeared out of nowhere?"

Without saying a word, Qiandao clapped his hands.

Behind the wooden door, a charming woman wearing wooden clogs slowly walked in.

Li Yuanchang asked in a deep voice, "What are you up to?"

"Your Highness, this person is my trusted informant and also Jisaburo's beloved concubine. I sent her to his bed, and that's how I obtained this secret," Chishima said.

Li Yuanchang gave her a deep look; this woman was no simpleton!

"Greetings, Lady Qiandao, greetings, Your Highness the Prince of Han." A woman approached.

Tanaka Chishima said coldly, "Tell me everything you've heard."

"Hi."

The woman turned to Li Yuanchang and said, "Your Highness, the head of the family held a final secret meeting last night with Yamazaki, Hachimura, and several other high-ranking family members."

"They were afraid of angering the Soga clan and the Emperor, but they didn't want to sit idly by and wait for their doom, so they conspired to sacrifice Prince Han in order to provoke a conflict between the Tang Dynasty and the Nakatomi clan, so as to achieve their goal of killing someone with a borrowed knife."

"As soon as Your Highness sets off for Qingmu City, they will immediately leak the news. This operation is a complete hoax."

"..."